Container for transport and storage of food products

ABSTRACT

Systems and methods for providing compostable food containers which preserve the quality of a food product for an extended duration of time, and which optionally allow for cooking of the food product therein. In some implementations, the food containers are sturdy, stackable, insulating, and require minimal or no manual labor to assemble. In some implementations, the food container includes a base and a cover which cooperate to form a closed chamber for supporting, protecting, insulating and optionally cooking a food product, such as a pizza. The base and cover may each be formed of a single layer of material including, but not limited to, molded sugarcane fiber (“bagasse”), molded wood fiber, molded bamboo fiber, molded paper or plastic.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure generally relates to containers for protecting,insulating, transporting and/or cooking food products.

BACKGROUND Description of the Related Art

Today, the standard pizza box is a square box that is made from a singlefolded blank of corrugated cardboard. Once folded, the cardboard forms abox that is normally about two inches high and having equal sides ofbetween 12 inches and 18 inches. The corrugated cardboard used toproduce the pizza box is typically thick, which provides the pizza boxwith structural strength needed to stack multiple filled pizza boxesatop one another without the bottom box collapsing. Even then, stackingtwo or more pizza boxes together typically requires the ubiquitouspedestals or “pizza savers” which are placed within the box at theapproximate center thereof to prevent the top or lid of the pizza boxfrom being forced into contact with the pizza inside the box due toforces of one or more pizza boxes stacked on top of the pizza box. Anexample of such pizza saver is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,498,586.

In a traditional pizza box, the inside bottom surface of the pizza boxis flat and smooth. When a pizza is placed inside the box, the bottom ofthe pizza rests flush against the flat bottom of the box. Consequently,any condensation, grease, or other liquid that collects between thebottom of the pizza and the bottom of the box becomes trapped. This cancause the bottom of a pizza to become soggy or oily, and can also reducethe structural integrity of the pizza box. Additionally, the top of thepizza box absorbs moisture emanating from hot, steaming pizza, whichcauses the top portion to droop, and which may cause the pizza box tocollapse or may at least cause the top portion of the pizza box to touchthe top of the pizza in instances where the aforementioned “pizza saver”is not used.

BRIEF SUMMARY

A compostable fiber food container may be summarized as including: abase including at least a portion of a raised rim disposed about aperimeter of an upwardly facing food receiving portion which receives afood product, the food receiving portion including an inner surface anda plurality of wells disposed in the food receiving portion that extenddownwardly from the inner surface and which project outwardly from abottom face of the base as a number of feet; and a compostable fibercover selectively engageable with the base, the cover including acentral dome portion having a substantially downward facing interiorsurface and a substantially upward facing exterior surface, the interiorsurface of the central dome portion having at least a portion of achannel disposed about a perimeter of the central dome that are sizedand dimensioned to engage the at least a portion of the raised rim ofthe base when the cover is engaged with the base, and the central domeportion sized and shaped to provide an interior chamber which protectsthe food product, and the exterior surface of the central dome portionincludes a plurality of dome recesses, at least some of the plurality ofdome recesses sized and dimensioned to receive at least a portion ofrespective ones of the feet of a base of another food containeridentical to the food container when the other food container is stackedon top of the cover of the food container.

The base may include a number N of wells, the cover may include thenumber N of dome recesses, and each of the dome recesses may bevertically aligned with one of the wells when the cover is engaged withthe base. The base may include eight wells and the cover may includeeight dome recesses, each of the dome recesses may be vertically alignedwith one of the wells when the cover is engaged with the base. Thecentral dome portion may include a raised outer rim spaced radiallyoutward from a center of the central dome portion, and each of the domerecesses may be disposed on the outer rim of the central dome portion.At least a portion of each of the dome recesses may be disposed inwardof an apex of the outer rim. The central dome portion may include araised inner rim spaced radially outward from the center of the domeportion and spaced radially inward from the raised outer rim. Each wellmay have a rim adjacent the planar surface which may have an ovalprofile. Each of the wells and each of the dome recesses may be sizedand dimensioned to restrict at least one of lateral movement orrotational movement between the cover of the food container and a baseof another food container when the other food container is stacked onthe cover of the food container. The base may include a plurality ofsector portions, in which each sector portion may include a plurality ofraised sector ribs extending upwardly from the planar surface. Each of aplurality of features including the raised rim, the wells, the channels,and the raised sector ribs may be spaced apart from at least one otherof the plurality of features by a distance which is less than or equalto one inch. The base may have an overall height which is less than orequal to 1.5 inches. Each of the base and the cover may be formed from asingle layer of material having a thickness in the range of 0.5millimeters to 1.0 millimeters. The food receiving portion of the basemay not have a continuously planar surface which exceeds 2 inches by 2inches. Each of the base and the cover may have a length dimension whichis greater than or equal to 12 inches. Each of the base and the covermay be formed from one of sugarcane fiber, wood fiber, or bamboo fiber.The base may have a square perimeter with rounded edges, and the foodreceiving portion may have a perimeter having a circular profile. Thecover may have at least one denesting lug which provides a space betweenat least a portion of the cover and at least a portion of another coverwhen the cover is stacked together with the other cover. The raised rimof the base may include a plurality of cover interface portions thatextend radially outward from the remainder of the raised rim, and theperimeter channel of the cover may be sized and dimensioned to engageeach of the plurality of cover interface portions of the base when thecover is engaged with the base to provide an interference fit betweenthe cover and the base.

A food container may include: a base of molded compostable fiber, thebase including one or more protrusions disposed about a perimeter of anupwardly facing food receiving portion which receives a food product,the base having a bottom face, and the food receiving portion includingan inner surface with a plurality of wells that project outwardly asrespective mateable stacking feet from the bottom face of the base; anda cover of molded compostable fiber, the cover selectively engageablewith the base, the cover having a substantially downward facing interiorsurface and a substantially upward facing exterior surface, the interiorsurface of the cover having one or more depressions disposed about aperimeter of the cover that are sized and dimensioned to engage the atleast a portion of the one or more protrusions of the base when thecover is engaged with the base, and the cover sized and shaped toprovide an interior chamber which protects the food product, and theexterior surface of the cover includes a plurality of recesses, at leastsome of the plurality of recesses sized and dimensioned to receive atleast a portion of respective ones of the mateable stacking feet of abase of another food container identical to the food container when theother food container is stacked on top of the cover of the foodcontainer.

The base may have a rectangular-shaped outer perimeter with roundedcorners, the outer perimeter defined by first and second parallel edgesand third and fourth parallel edges, and each of the channels arenon-parallel with each of the first, second, third, and fourth edges ofthe base. The base may include a plurality of sector portions in thefood receiving portion, in which each sector portion of the foodreceiving portion may include one of the plurality of wells that extendsdownwardly from the planar surface. Each well may have a rim adjacentthe planar surface which has a profile in the shape of at least one ofan oval, a circle, a triangle, a square, or a symbol. Each sectorportion may include a raised sector portion rim which extends upwardfrom the planar surface and is adjacent at least one of the two adjacentchannels which delineate the sector portion. At least some of the raisedsector ribs in each sector portion may have a length dimension whichextends radially with respect to the central well. The base may includea base flange surrounding at least a portion of the raised rim, and thecover may include a cover flange surrounding at least a portion of thecentral dome portion. The base flange may include at least one basefastening recess which extends downwardly from the base flange, and thecover flange may include at least one corresponding cover fasteningprotrusion which extends downwardly from the cover flange, the at leastone base fastening recess sized and dimensioned to receive at least aportion of the at least one cover fastening protrusion when the cover isengaged with the base. The at least one base fastening recess and the atleast one cover fastening protrusion may each be sized and dimensionedto provide an audible cue when the at least one base fastening recess isseparated from the cover fastening protrusion. The at least one basefastening recess may have a depth that is greater than 5 millimeters anda diameter that is greater than 8 millimeters, and the at least onecover fastening protrusion may have a depth which is 1 millimeter lessthan the depth of the at least one base fastening recess, and a diameterwhich is 1 millimeter greater than the diameter of the at least one basefastening recess. The at least one base fastening recess may include aplurality of recesses each having an upward facing surface and adownward facing surface, the downward facing surface of each of theplurality of base fastening recesses sized and dimensioned to beweight-bearing when the base is disposed on a planar support surface.The base flange may include at least one base fastening protrusion whichextends upwardly from the base flange, and the cover flange may includeat least one corresponding cover fastening recess which extends upwardlyfrom the cover flange, the at least one cover fastening recess sized anddimensioned to receive at least a portion of the at least one basefastening protrusion when the cover is engaged with the base. When thecover is engaged with the base, a perimeter of the cover flange may bevertically aligned with a perimeter of the base flange. The foodcontainer may include a number N of channels which delineate acorresponding number N of sector portions of the food receiving portion,where N is a positive integer. Each of the base and the cover may beformed from a single layer of material. Each of the base and the covermay be formed from one of sugarcane fiber, wood fiber, or bamboo fiber.The food receiving portion may have a circular profile. The base and thecover may each be formed from a single layer of material, and the baseand the cover may be sized and dimensioned to be nestable with otherbases and covers, respectively. The plurality of channels may be equallyradially spaced to enable cutting of the food product into equally sizedpieces when a cutting tool moves along the channels.

A food container may be summarized as including: a base including one ormore depressions disposed about a perimeter of an upwardly facing foodreceiving portion which receives a food product, the food receivingportion including an inner surface and a plurality of wells disposed inthe food receiving portion that extend downwardly from the inner surfaceand that project outwardly as respective feet from the bottom face ofthe base; and a cover selectively engageable with the base, the coverhaving a substantially downward facing interior surface and asubstantially upward facing exterior surface, the interior surface ofthe cover having one or more protrusions disposed about a perimeter ofthe cover that are sized and dimensioned to engage the at least aportion of the one or more depressions of the base when the cover isengaged with the base, and the cover sized and shaped to provide aninterior chamber which protects the food product, and the exteriorsurface of the cover includes a plurality of recesses, at least some ofthe plurality of recesses sized and dimensioned to receive at least aportion of respective ones of the feet of a base of another foodcontainer identical to the food container when the other food containeris stacked on top of the cover of the food container.

A food container may be summarized as including: a base including one ofa raised rim or channel disposed about a perimeter of an upwardly facingfood receiving portion which receives a food product, the food receivingportion including an inner surface and a plurality of depressionsdisposed in the food receiving portion that extend downwardly from theinner surface and that project outwardly as respective mateable stackingfeet from the bottom face of the base; and a cover selectivelyengageable with the base, the cover having a substantially downwardfacing interior surface and a substantially upward facing exteriorsurface, the interior surface of the cover having the other of theraised rim or channel disposed about a perimeter of the cover that aresized and dimensioned to engage the one of the raised rim or channel ofthe base when the cover is engaged with the base, and the cover sizedand shaped to provide an interior chamber which protects the foodproduct, and the exterior surface of the cover includes a plurality ofrecesses, at least some of the plurality of recesses sized anddimensioned to receive at least a portion of respective ones of themateable stacking feet of a base of another food container identical tothe food container when the other food container is stacked on top ofthe cover of the food container.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings, identical reference numbers identify similar elementsor acts. The sizes and relative positions of elements in the drawingsare not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, the shapes of variouselements and angles are not necessarily drawn to scale, and some ofthese elements may be arbitrarily enlarged and positioned to improvedrawing legibility. Further, the particular shapes of the elements asdrawn, are not necessarily intended to convey any information regardingthe actual shape of the particular elements, and may have been solelyselected for ease of recognition in the drawings.

FIG. 1A is a top perspective view of a food container, according to oneillustrated implementation.

FIG. 1B is a top perspective view of the food container with a cover ofthe food container separated from a base thereof, according to oneillustrated implementation.

FIG. 2A is a bottom perspective view of the food container, according toone illustrated implementation.

FIG. 2B is a bottom perspective view of the food container with thecover separated from the base, according to one illustratedimplementation.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the food container, according to oneillustrated implementation.

FIG. 4A is a sectional view of the food container taken along the line4A-4A of FIG. 3, according to one illustrated implementation.

FIG. 4B is a sectional view of the food container taken along the line4A-4B of FIG. 1B, according to one illustrated implementation.

FIG. 5A is a sectional view of the food container taken along the line5A-5A of FIG. 3, according to one illustrated implementation.

FIG. 5B is a sectional view of the food container taken along the line5A-5B of FIG. 1B, according to one illustrated implementation.

FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view of the cover of the food container,according to one illustrated implementation.

FIG. 7 is a front elevational view of the cover of the food container,according to one illustrated implementation.

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the base of the food container, accordingto one illustrated implementation.

FIG. 9 is a bottom plan view of the food container, according to oneillustrated implementation.

FIG. 10 is a front elevational view of the base of the food container,according to one illustrated implementation.

FIG. 11A is a sectional elevational view of a first food containervertically aligned with and spaced apart from a second food container,according to one illustrated implementation.

FIG. 11B is a sectional elevational view of the first and second foodcontainers in a stacked relationship, according to one illustratedimplementation.

FIG. 11C is a detailed view of a portion of FIG. 11B, according to oneillustrated implementation.

FIG. 12 is a top plan view of a food container which includes a number Nof food receiving portion channels and a corresponding number N ofsector portions, according to one illustrated implementation.

FIG. 13 is a sectional elevational view of the base of the foodcontainer, showing various dimensions thereof, according to oneillustrated implementation.

FIG. 14A is a top perspective view of another food container, accordingto one illustrated implementation.

FIG. 14B is a top perspective view of the food container of FIG. 14Awith a cover of the food container separated from a base thereof,according to one illustrated implementation.

FIG. 15A is a bottom perspective view of the food container of FIG. 14A,according to one illustrated implementation.

FIG. 15B is a bottom perspective view of the food container of FIG. 14Awith the cover separated from the base, according to one illustratedimplementation.

FIG. 16 is a top plan view of the food container of FIG. 14A, accordingto one illustrated implementation.

FIG. 17 is a bottom plan view of the cover of the food container of FIG.14A, according to one illustrated implementation.

FIG. 18 is a front elevational view of the cover of the food containerof FIG. 14A, according to one illustrated implementation.

FIG. 19 is a top plan view of the base of the food container of FIG.14A, according to one illustrated implementation.

FIG. 20 is a bottom plan view of the food container of FIG. 14A,according to one illustrated implementation.

FIG. 21 is a front elevational view of the base of the food container ofFIG. 14A, according to one illustrated implementation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, certain specific details are set forth inorder to provide a thorough understanding of various disclosedimplementations. However, one skilled in the relevant art will recognizethat implementations may be practiced without one or more of thesespecific details, or with other methods, components, materials, etc. Inother instances, well-known structures associated with computer systems,server computers, and/or communications networks have not been shown ordescribed in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring descriptions of theimplementations.

Unless the context requires otherwise, throughout the specification andclaims that follow, the word “comprising” is synonymous with“including,” and is inclusive or open-ended (i.e., does not excludeadditional, unrecited elements or method acts).

Reference throughout this specification to “one implementation” or “animplementation” means that a particular feature, structure orcharacteristic described in connection with the implementation isincluded in at least one implementation. Thus, the appearances of thephrases “in one implementation” or “in an implementation” in variousplaces throughout this specification are not necessarily all referringto the same implementation. Furthermore, the particular features,structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner inone or more implementations.

As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singularforms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the contextclearly dictates otherwise. It should also be noted that the term “or”is generally employed in its sense including “and/or” unless the contextclearly dictates otherwise.

The headings and Abstract of the Disclosure provided herein are forconvenience only and do not interpret the scope or meaning of theimplementations.

One or more implementations of the present disclosure are directed toproviding food containers which preserve the quality of a food productfor a duration of time, and which optionally allow for cooking of thefood product therein. In one or more implementations, the foodcontainers discussed herein are structurally sturdy, stackable,thermally insulating, disposable (e.g., compostable) and require minimalor no manual labor to assemble. In some implementations, the foodcontainers discussed herein use a relatively small amount of materialcompared to existing corrugated cardboard containers, which material iscompostable and/or recyclable.

Initially, a first implementations of a food container is discussed withreference to FIGS. 1A-11C and 13. Then, a second implementation of afood container is discussed with reference to FIG. 12. Then, a thirdimplementation of a food container is discussed with reference to FIGS.14A-21. Features of one or more of the implementations discussed hereinmay be modified and/or combined to provide further implementations.

Referring to FIG. 1A through FIG. 11C, various views of a food container100 are shown. The food container 100 is illustrated as a container forcontaining a pizza for explanatory purposes, but it should beappreciated that the present disclosure is not limited to such. As shownin FIG. 1B, the food container 100 includes a base 102 and a separatecover 104 which cooperate as shown in the figures and described below toform a closed chamber 106 for supporting, protecting, insulating andoptionally cooking a food product (e.g., pizza).

In some implementations, the base 102 and cover 104 may each beseparately formed of a single layer of liquid-resistant insulatingmaterial including, but not limited to, molded sugarcane fiber(“bagasse”), molded wood fiber, molded bamboo fiber, molded paper orplastic (e.g., biodegradable plastic, thermoplastic material, bio-basedplastic, recycled plastic, recyclable plastic). The base and/or thecover may be opaque, semi-transparent, or transparent (e.g., an opaquebase made with molded fiber and a cover made with transparent plasticmaterial). This is in contrast to conventional pizza boxes which aremade from corrugated cardboard. In implementations wherein the base 102cover 104 are formed from molded fibers, the single layer of materialmay have a relatively small thickness of between 0.5 mm and 1.0 mm(e.g., 0.8 mm). In implementations wherein the base 102 and cover 104are formed from plastic (e.g., polyethylene terephthalate (PET),polylactic acid (PLA)), the single layer of material may have athickness of 0.5-0.6 mm or less.

In some implementations, the base 102 is formed of a single layer ofinsulating material and includes an upwardly facing circular-shaped foodreceiving portion 108 which receives the pizza thereon. The base 102further includes a raised peripheral rim 110 disposed about a perimeterof the food receiving portion 108. The rim 110 comprises a raisedupwardly facing apex surface 112 (see FIG. 4B) and an downwardly andoutwardly extending sidewall 114 which meets with a substantially planarbase flange 116 that extends outwardly from the rim. As shown in FIG.1B, the base flange 116 has a substantially rectangular-shaped (e.g.,square) outer perimeter with rounded corners defined by first and secondparallel edges 118A and 118B and third and fourth parallel edges 118Cand 118D. Among other things, the base flange 116 strengthens therigidity of the base 102.

The food receiving portion 108 of the base 102 includes a planar surface109 and a number of features which extend at least one of upward ordownward from the planar surface 109. In particular, the food receivingportion 108 includes a central well 120 which extends downwardly fromthe planar surface 109 and receives liquid drippings or condensationfrom the cooked food (e.g., pizza) placed in the food container 100. Inthe illustrated implementation, the central well 120 has a circularperimeter, but may have other shapes (e.g., triangle, octagon) in otherimplementations.

The food receiving portion 108 also includes a plurality of foodreceiving portion channels or grooves 122 (also referred to herein as“channels”) extending downwardly below the planar surface 109 andrunning radially outward from the central well 120 and terminating atthe raised peripheral rim 110. In some implementations, the radialchannels 122 may extend only partially between the central well 120 andthe raised peripheral rim 110. In the illustrated implementation, eachof the channels 122 has a U-shaped cross-sectional profile, but in otherimplementations the channels may have other shapes (e.g., V-shaped). Insome implementations, each channel 122 may slope downward from the rim110 toward the central well 120 to facilitate the flow of liquid throughthe channel into the central well. Each pair of adjacent channels 122and a corresponding portion of the raised peripheral rim 110 delineate arespective sector portion 124 of the food receiving portion 108 whichsupports a portion of a food item (e.g., an individual slice of pizza).In the illustrated implementation, the base 102 includes eight channels122 and eight sector portions 124. Generally the base 102 may include Nchannels and N sector portions, where N is a positive integer.

The plurality of channels 122 are equally radially spaced to enablecutting of the food item (e.g., pizza) into equally sized pieces when acutting tool (e.g., knife) moves along the channels. Since the channels122 extended downward from the planar surface 109, a user may cutthrough the food item over the channels without damaging (e.g., cutting)the food receiving portion 108 of the base 102. Further, each of thechannels 122 are non-parallel with each of the edges 118A-118D of thebase 102, which improves the rigidity of the base. In the illustratedimplementation, each of the channels 122 is offset by 22.5° fromperpendicular from a respective one of the edges 118A-118D which thechannel extends toward. Further, each of the channels 122 is collinearwith an opposite channel that extends radially in the oppositedirection. Thus, when the base 104 is to be discarded (e.g., composted),the user may fold the base along an axis which extends through twoopposing collinear channels to reduce the dimensions of the base so thebase will fit within a compost receptacle.

Among other things, the channels 122 function to strengthen the base 102in rigidity and provide supporting forces to the food receiving portion108 when the base is disposed on a resting surface, such as acountertop, oven or another food container. The channels 122 also serveas guides for a cutting tool to cut eight equally sized pieces of a fooditem (e.g., pizza). Further, the channels 122 provide air space belowthe food item, which provides additional insulation. In someimplementations, because the channels 122 may be substantially coveredby the food item placed on the food receiving portion 108, indicia(e.g., visible and/or tactile markings) may be positioned on or adjacentthe rim 110 radially in line with the channels to aid the user incutting the pizza into pieces along the channels.

As discussed above, each pair of adjacent channels 122 and acorresponding portion (e.g., a 45° arc portion) of the raised peripheralrim 110 delineate a respective sector portion 124 of the food receivingportion 108 which receives an individual piece of the food item (e.g.,slice of pizza). Each sector portion 124 includes a portion of theplanar surface 109 and a raised sector portion rim 126 (FIG. 1B) whichextends upward from the planar surface and adjacent each of the channels122 which define the sector portion. In addition to supporting the fooditem above the planar surface 109, the raised sector portion rim 126adjacent the channels 122 may aid in supporting the food item near thecutting location, thereby facilitating the cutting process to provideaccurate individual pieces.

Each sector portion 124 further includes a sector well 128 which mayreceive liquid drippings from the food product therein. In theillustrated implementation, each sector well has a perimeter rimadjacent the planar surface 109 which has an oval profile. In otherimplementations, each of the perimeter rims may have a profile in theshape of at least one of a circle, a triangle, a square, another shape,or a symbol (e.g., logo). Each sector portion 124 also includes aplurality of raised sector ribs or projections 130 which extend upwardfrom the planar surface 109 around the sector well 128 having anuppermost portion which supports the hot food product (e.g., pizza). Insome implementations, the combined area of the ribs 130 in a sectorportion 124 is smaller than the portion of the planar surface 109 in thesector portion. Thus, when the food product is supported on theuppermost portions of the ribs 130 and the raised sector portion rim126, heat loss due to conduction through the planar surface 109 issubstantially reduced compared to food containers with flat bottomsurfaces which have relatively large surface area contact with thebottom surface of the food product. Additionally, the raised ribs 130and sector portion rim 126 tend to isolate the bottom surface of thefood product from the planar surface 109, which prevents the foodproduct from becoming soggy due to trapped liquid on the planar surface109 of the food receiving portion 108.

In the illustrated implementations, the shapes of the ribs 130 areelongated and have a length dimension which extends radially withrespect to the central well 120. Additionally, in the illustratedimplementations the ribs 130 are radially symmetrical. In otherimplementations, the number, sizes and dimensions of the raised ribs 130may be different from shown in the figures. The raised ribs 130 alsofunction to improve the rigidity of the base 102.

In some implementations, each of a plurality of features of the base 102comprising the raised rim 110, the central well 120, the sector wells128, the channels 122, and the raised sector ribs 130 is spaced apartfrom at least one other of the plurality of features by a distance whichis less than or equal to one inch. In some implementations, due to theaforementioned plurality of features, the food receiving portion 108 ofthe base 102 does not have a continuously planar surface which exceeds 2inches by 2 inches. Such features significantly improve the strength ofthe base 102, while allowing the base to have a length dimension greaterthan 12 inches (e.g., 16 inches), a width dimension greater than 12inches (e.g., 16 inches), an overall height which is less than 1.5inches (e.g., 1 inch), and a material thickness between 0.5 mm and 1.0mm (e.g., 0.8 mm). In other implementations, the base 102 may have arelatively larger height and the cover 104 may have a relatively smallerheight.

The base flange 116 which extends around the raised rim 110 includeseight fastening recesses or seats 132 that extend downwardly from thebase flange. As discussed below, each of the fastening recesses 132 ofthe base 102 receive a corresponding one of a plurality of downwardlyextending fastening protrusions 134 of the cover 104 to selectivelyretain the cover on the base 102. The fastening recesses 132 aregenerally dome-shaped in the illustrated implementations, but may beother shapes and sizes in other implementations. Further, otherimplementations may include more fastening recesses, fewer fasteningrecesses, or no fastening recesses.

In some implementations, at least some of the fastening recesses 132,the central well 120, and the sector wells 128 extend downwardly to alowermost portion of the base 102 so that they are weight-bearing andfunction as “feet” which form an insulating air space below the foodreceiving portion 108 of the base 102 and a resting surface when thebase is supported on the resting surface. Thus, the raised ribs 130 ofeach sector portion, together with at least some of the fasteningrecesses 132, the central well 120, and the sector wells 128, form alayer of air insulation between the planar surface 109 of the foodreceiving portion 108 and the food product and a layer of air insulationbetween the food receiving portion and a resting surface using only asingle layer of material (i.e., the material which forms the base 102).Additionally, the aforementioned “feet” raise the remainder of the base102 (and cover 104 when engaged with the base) slightly above a restingsurface (e.g., table), which causes a shadow to be cast, similar to amore formal serving plate.

The cover 104 comprises a single layer of thermally insulating material(e.g., molded fiber) and includes a central dome portion 136 comprisinga substantially downward facing interior surface 138 (FIG. 2B) and asubstantially upward facing exterior surface 140 (FIG. 1B). As shown inFIG. 4B, the dome portion 136 comprises a raised outer rim 142 spacedradially outward from the center of the dome portion which terminates ina downwardly and outwardly extending sidewall 144. The sidewall 144meets with a substantially planar cover flange 146 which extendslaterally outwardly therefrom. Similar to the base flange 116, the coverflange 146 has a substantially rectangular-shaped outer perimeter withrounded corners defined by first and second parallel edges 148A and 148Band third and fourth parallel edges 148C and 148D (see FIG. 1B). Amongother things, the cover flange 146 strengthens the rigidity of the cover104.

The cover flange 146 also includes eight integrally formed fasteningprotrusions 134 which extend downwardly from the cover flange. Thefastening protrusions 134 are generally dome-shaped in the illustratedimplementations, but may be other shapes and sizes in otherimplementations. Further, other implementations may include morefastening protrusions, fewer fastening protrusions, or no fasteningprotrusions. As shown in FIG. 11C, each of the fastening protrusions 134of the cover flange 146 is vertically aligned with one of the integrallyformed fastening recesses 132 of the base flange 116 to form a fastener131. In operation, each fastening recess 132 may receive a correspondingfastening protrusion 134 when the cover 104 is placed on the base 102.Among other things, such fasteners 131 may restrict lateral orrotational movement of the cover 104 relative to the base 102 whichmaintains the alignment of the cover relative to the base. In someimplementations, each fastening recess 132 may be sized and dimensionedto receive a corresponding fastening protrusion 134 responsive to anexternal force pushing the fastening recess and the fastening protrusiontogether when the cover 104 is placed on the base 102, forming aninterference or press fit. In such implementations, upon receiving afastening protrusion 134, a fastening recess 132 may generate afastening force which facilitates holding the cover 104 in a closedconfiguration on the base 102. Such fastening force resists externalforces applied to the container 100 so that the container remains closedthroughout storage, transportation or any other function of thecontainer.

In some implementations, the base flange 116 may include a number offastening protrusions that extend upwardly from the base flange, and thecover flange 146 may include a corresponding number of fasteningrecesses that extend upwardly from the cover flange. In suchimplementations, the fastening recesses of the cover 104 may receive thefastening protrusions of the base 102.

For a plastic blister or thermoform package, due to its elasticproperty, when a fastening or positioning mechanism is separated themechanism will generate an audio cue (e.g., “snap”) to signal themovement. This is due to the “undercut” design, which is a commonlyknown design technique in the plastic packaging industry. Such isfeasible because the plastic molding process allows the undercut design.For paper or molded pulp products, it may not be possible make such anundercut design, and therefore it is typically accepted that a moldedpulp package cannot have any locking design with an audible snapfunction. However, in some implementations of the present disclosure,due to the combination of dimension of the interference, the angle, andthe thickness of the base 102 and cover 104, the fastening mechanismsprovide an unexpected performance with an audible cue (e.g., “snap”)when the fastening protrusions are disengaged from the correspondingfastening recesses. In some implementations, this audible cue may beproduced more than once (e.g., each time a fastening protrusion isdisengaged from a fastening recess). In some implementations, each ofthe fastening recesses has a depth that is greater than 5 millimetersand a diameter that is greater than 8 millimeters, and each of thefastening protrusions has a depth which is 1 millimeter less than thedepth of the fastening recesses, and a diameter which is 1 millimetergreater than the diameter of the fastening recesses.

The dome portion 136 further comprises an irregularly-shaped raisedinner rim 150 disposed radially inward of the raised outer rim 142, anda substantially planar ceiling portion 152 disposed inward of the raisedinner rim. In some implementations, the raised inner rim 150 has aradially asymmetric profile. A downwardly extending dome portion channelor groove 154 is positioned radially between the raised outer rim 142and the raised inner rim 150. The shapes and dimensions of the raisedouter rim 142, the dome portion channel 154 and the raised inner rim 150may be different in other implementations. The raised outer rim 142, thedome portion channel 154 and the raised inner rim 150 together providerigidity to the dome portion 136 which, as discussed below, providessupport to the ceiling portion 152 and facilitates stacking of multiplecontainers 100 together. In the illustrated example, the raised innerrim 150 is lower in height than the raised outer rim 142, but in otherimplementations the height of the inner rim may be equal to or greaterthan the outer rim. As discussed further below with reference to FIGS.11A-11C, the outer rim 142 of the central dome portion 136 also includeseight spaced apart dome recesses 156 each sized and dimensioned toreceive at least a portion of a corresponding sector well 128 of a base102 of another food container 100 when the other food container isstacked on top of the cover 104 of the food container.

Among other things, the shapes of the sidewall 144, raised outer rim142, dome portion channel 154, and raised inner rim 150 function toimprove the rigidity of the cover 104, and serve to distributesupporting forces when an object (e.g., one or more other foodcontainers) is stacked on the cover 104. Further, the shape of theinterior surface 138 of the central dome portion 136 and/or the texture(e.g., rough texture) of the interior surface may tend to absorb orretain moisture (e.g., condensation) which reduces the amount ofmoisture that returns to the hot food item (e.g., pizza) which couldcause quality deterioration of the food item. Additionally, thegenerally round shape of the central dome portion 136 which correspondsto a round food item (e.g., pizza) provides a reduced surface area forheat transfer compared to a conventional square pizza box, thusprolonging the duration that the food item maintains an elevatedtemperature. In other implementations, the central dome portion 136 maybe sized and/or dimensioned differently than shown in the illustratedimplementations.

As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the interior surface 138 of the sidewall144 of the central dome portion 136 has an inwardly and downwardlyfacing perimeter channel 160 sized and dimensioned to form engage theraised perimeter rim 110 of the base 102 when the cover 104 is engagedwith the base. When the cover 104 is engaged with the base 102, theperimeter channel 160 of the sidewall 144 of the cover contacts the topsurface 112 and sidewall 114 of the raised rim 110 of the base 102 toform a “seal” which may limit or even prevent the flow of air into orout of the enclosed chamber 106 which houses the food item. In someimplementations, the perimeter channel 160 and the raised rim 110 aresized and dimension to form an interference or press fit therebetweenwhen the cover 104 is engaged with the base 102.

The various features of the dome portion 136 provide significantstrength which, among other things, allows for stacking multiple foodcontainers 100 together. Specifically, the dome portion 136 includesseveral curved or cornered portions which together improve the rigidityof the cover 104. For example, the dome portion 136 includes theperimeter channel 160 adjacent the base flange 116, the curved sidewall144 radially inward of the perimeter channel, the raised outer rim 142radially inward of the sidewall, the dome portion channel 154 radiallyinward of the raised outer rim, the raised inner rim 150 radially inwardof the dome portion channel, and the planar ceiling portion 152 radiallyinward of the raised inner rim.

When the cover 104 is engaged with the base 102 (FIG. 4A), the baseflange 116 and cover flange 146 are also in contact and fastened by thefasteners 131 which, as noted above, serve to restrict lateral orrotational motion between the cover and the base, to add strength to theassembled food container 100, and to increase the limiting of airflowinto the chamber 106. As discussed above, in some implementations thefasteners 131 may form an interference or press fit between each pair ofprotrusions 134 and recesses 132 of the cover 104 and base 102,respectively. In such implementations, the fasteners 131 also functionto retain the cover 104 on the base 102.

In the illustrated implementation, the outer dimensions of the base 102and the cover 104 are substantially matched which aids the user inaligning the cover 104 when placing the cover onto the base during use,particularly when the cover is not joined to the base via a hinge (e.g.,flexible joint). In some implementations, due to various symmetries ofthe base 102 and the cover 104, the cover may be secured to the base atany of four relative rotational angles (e.g., 0°, 90°, 180°, and 270°)relative to the base. That is, the edge 148A (FIG. 1B) of the cover 104may be vertically aligned with any of the edges 118A-118D of the base102. To remove the cover 104 from the base 102, the user may lift thecover relative to the base with sufficient force to overcome the “seal”between the perimeter channel 160 of the cover and the rim 110 of thebase and, in implementations where the fasteners 131 are secured byinterference or press fits, sufficient force to overcome the fasteningforces of the respective fasteners 131.

As shown in FIG. 1B, in some implementations, the raised rim 110 of thebase 102 includes one or more grooves or notches 162 at an intersectionof the top surface 112 and the sidewall 114 of the rim 110. Such grooves162 may function to release the seal between the cover 104 and the base102 when the user begins to lift the cover from the base prior to theperimeter channel 160 disengaging with the remainder of the raised rim110. Such feature advantageously makes the cover 104 easier to removefrom the base 102 when a user desires to access the food item in thefood container 100.

The base 102 and cover 104 of the food container 100 may be nestablewith other bases and covers, respectively, with a minimum amount ofvertical height (i.e., essentially the thickness of the material foreach component). That is, when a first base 102 is stacked on top of asecond base, the top surfaces of the features of the lower second baseare positioned adjacent the bottom surfaces of corresponding features ofthe upper first base, with minimal air space therebetween. Similarly,when a first cover 104 is stacked on top of a second cover, the topsurfaces of the features of the lower second cover are positionedadjacent the bottom surfaces of corresponding features of the upperfirst cover. Thus, numerous bases may be stacked together at a heightwhich is much less than the combined height of the individual bases.Similarly, numerous covers may be stacked together at a height which ismuch less than the combined height of the individual covers. Suchnesting feature is advantageous for shipping and for storing the foodcontainers 100 in a small space (e.g., restaurant, vehicle, packaging).

Further, unlike conventional pizza boxes formed from a cardboard blankwhich has to be folded, no pre-assembly is required. Thus, the base 102and cover 104 need not be handled by a user until selected for use toperform its intended function, which significantly reduces thelikelihood of contamination.

In operation, a user may select a base 102 from a stack of nested bases,place a food item (cooked or uncooked) onto the food receiving portion108 of the base, select a cover 104 from a stack of nested covers, andlower the cover onto the base as shown in FIGS. 1A and 2A.

Because the food item is generally supported above the planar surface109 of the food receiving portion 108 by the raised ribs 130 and sectorportion rim 126 of each sector portion 124, liquid drippings from thefood item fall away from the food item and into the sector wells 128,the central well 120 and/or the channels 122. Such features prevent thebottom of the food item from becoming soggy in addition to strengtheningthe rigidity of the food container. Thus, the aforementioned features ofthe food container 100 provide a housing which is lightweight, sturdy,compostable, and supports the food item in a manner which keeps the fooditem in a hot and dry condition, which preserves the freshness of thefood item.

FIGS. 11A-11C show how the food container 100 is stackable with one ormore other food containers, such as another food container 200 which issubstantially the same or identical to the food container 100. As shownin FIG. 11C, an inward facing portion of the apex of the raised outerrim 142 of the central dome portion 136 of the cover 104 includes aplurality of dome recesses or seats 156 radially spaced from the centerof the dome portion. Each of the dome recesses 156 are sized anddimensioned to receive at least a portion of one sector well 128 of abase 102 of another food container 100 when the other food container isstacked on top of the cover 104 of the food container 200. In someimplementations, the shape of the recesses 156 may complement the shapeof the sector wells 158 to maximize the contact surface area between therecesses and the sector wells. Thus, the sector wells 128 function as“feet” for the base of the food container 100 when the food container100 is stacked on top of the food container 200. When in such a stackedrelationship, only the sector wells 128 of the base 102 of the top foodcontainer 100 contact the dome recesses 156 of the cover 104 of thebottom food container 200, which provides a substantial air spacebetween the two containers 100 and 200, thus minimizing heat transfertherebetween. Additionally, since the sector wells 128 of the base 102of the top food container 100 are spaced apart from the food product inthe food container 100 and the sector recesses 156 of the dome portion136 of the bottom food container 200 are not in contact with the foodproduct in the food container 200, surfaces of the food containersadjacent the hot food products do not contact each other when thecontainers are stacked, which further minimizes heat transfer betweencontainers.

As discussed above, the outer rim 142 of the central dome portion 136 isstructurally rigid and serves to distribute supporting forces of thesector wells 128 of the base 102 when the top food container 100 isstacked on the cover 104 of the bottom food container 200. Moreover,when the food container 100 is stacked on the food container 200 and thebottom surface of each of the sector wells 128 of the base 102 isreceived in a respective one of the dome recesses 156, the foodcontainer 100 and the food container 200 are restricted from lateral orrotational movement with respect to each other, which helps keep thefood containers in a stacked relationship during transportation of thefood containers.

FIG. 12 shows a simplified schematic diagram of a base 240 for a foodcontainer. The base 240 may be similar or identical to the base 102discussed above. In this implementation, the base 240 includes a foodreceiving portion 242 which includes a number N of channels CC_(1-N)which delineate a corresponding number N of sector portions SP_(1-N).The channels CC_(1-N) and sector portions SP_(1-N) may be similar to thechannels 122 and sector portions 124, respectively, discussed above. Asa non-limiting example, the number N may be equal to a positive integer(e.g., 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13, 16).

FIG. 13 shows a sectional elevational view of the base 102 and includesa number of dimensional measurements and radius of curvaturemeasurements in millimeters for the base 102, according to one or moreimplementations. FIG. 6 also shows example measurements for the outeredges of the cover 104 and/or base 102. As shown, in someimplementations the base 102 and cover 104 may each have outerdimensions of 410 millimeters by 410 millimeters. The aforementionedstrengthening structural features allow the food container 100 to berelatively large and to utilize a relatively thin layer of material foreach of the base and the cover while providing the aforementionedrequired support for receiving a food item and/or stacking multiple foodcontainers together. Such measurements are provided as examples andshould not be considered to be limiting.

Referring now to FIG. 14A through FIG. 21, various views of a foodcontainer 300 are shown. The food container 300 may be similar oridentical to the food containers 100 and 200 in many respects (e.g.,shapes, materials, sizes, features). Accordingly, at least some of thediscussion above is applicable to the food container 300 and may not berepeated below for the sake of brevity.

As shown in FIG. 14B, the food container 300 includes a base 302 and aseparate cover 304 which cooperate as shown in the figures and describedbelow to form a closed chamber for supporting, protecting, insulatingand optionally cooking a food product (e.g., pizza). In at least someimplementations, the base 302 is formed of a single layer of insulatingmaterial and includes an upwardly facing circular-shaped food receivingportion 308 which receives the pizza thereon. The base 302 furtherincludes a raised peripheral rim 310 disposed about a perimeter of thefood receiving portion 308. The rim 310 comprises a raised upwardlyfacing apex surface 312 (FIG. 21) and a downwardly and outwardlyextending sidewall 314 which meets with a substantially planar baseflange 316 that extends outwardly from the rim. As shown in FIG. 14B,the base flange 316 has a substantially rectangular-shaped (e.g.,square) outer perimeter with rounded corners defined by first and secondparallel edges 318A and 318B and third and fourth parallel edges 318Cand 318D. Among other things, the base flange 316 strengthens therigidity of the base 302.

The food receiving portion 308 of the base 302 includes a planar surface309 and a number of features which extend at least one of upward ordownward from the planar surface 309. In particular, the food receivingportion 308 includes a central well 320 which extends downwardly fromthe planar surface 309 and receives liquid drippings or condensationfrom the cooked food (e.g., pizza) placed in the food container 300. Inthe illustrated implementation, the central well 320 has a circularperimeter, but may have other shapes (e.g., triangle, octagon) in otherimplementations.

The food receiving portion 308 also includes a plurality of foodreceiving portion channels or grooves 322 (also referred to herein as“channels”) extending downwardly below the planar surface 309 andrunning radially outward from the central well 320 and terminating atthe raised peripheral rim 310. In some implementations, the radialchannels 322 may extend only partially between the central well 320 andthe raised peripheral rim 310. In the illustrated implementation, eachof the channels 322 has a U-shaped cross-sectional profile, but in otherimplementations the channels may have other shapes (e.g., V-shaped). Insome implementations, each channel 322 may slope downward from the rim310 toward the central well 320 to facilitate the flow of liquid throughthe channel into the central well. Each pair of adjacent channels 322and a corresponding portion of the raised peripheral rim 310 delineate arespective sector portion 324 of the food receiving portion 308 whichsupports a portion of a food item (e.g., an individual slice of pizza).In the illustrated implementation, the base 302 includes eight channels322 and eight sector portions 324. Generally the base 302 may include Nchannels and N sector portions, where N is a positive integer.

The plurality of channels 322 are equally radially spaced to enablecutting of the food item (e.g., pizza) into equally sized pieces when acutting tool (e.g., knife) moves along the channels. Since the channels322 extended downward from the planar surface 309, a user may cutthrough the food item over the channels without damaging (e.g., cutting)the food receiving portion 308 of the base 302. Further, each of thechannels 322 are non-parallel with each of the edges 318A-318D of thebase 302, which improves the rigidity of the base. In the illustratedimplementation, each of the channels 322 is offset by 22.5° fromperpendicular from a respective one of the edges 318A-318D which thechannel extends toward. Further, each of the channels 322 is collinearwith an opposite channel that extends radially in the oppositedirection. Thus, when the base 304 is to be discarded (e.g., composted),the user may fold the base along an axis which extends through twoopposing collinear channels to reduce the dimensions of the base so thebase will fit within a compost receptacle.

Among other things, the channels 322 function to strengthen the base 302in rigidity and provide supporting forces to the food receiving portion308 when the base is disposed on a resting surface, such as acountertop, oven or another food container. The channels 322 also serveas guides for a cutting tool to cut eight equally sized pieces of a fooditem (e.g., pizza). Further, the channels 322 provide air space belowthe food item, which provides additional insulation. In someimplementations, because the channels 322 may be substantially coveredby the food item placed on the food receiving portion 308, indicia(e.g., visible and/or tactile markings) may be positioned on or adjacentthe rim 310 radially in line with the channels to aid the user incutting the pizza into pieces along the channels.

As discussed above, each pair of adjacent channels 322 and acorresponding portion (e.g., a 45° arc portion) of the raised peripheralrim 310 delineate a respective sector portion 324 of the food receivingportion 308 which receives an individual piece of the food item (e.g.,slice of pizza). Each sector portion 324 includes a portion of theplanar surface 309 and a raised sector portion rim 326 (FIG. 14B) whichextends upward from the planar surface and adjacent each of the channels322 which define the sector portion. In addition to supporting the fooditem above the planar surface 309, the raised sector portion rim 326adjacent the channels 322 may aid in supporting the food item near thecutting location, thereby facilitating the cutting process to provideaccurate individual pieces.

Each sector portion 324 further includes a sector well 328 which mayreceive liquid drippings from the food product therein. In theillustrated implementation, each sector well has a perimeter rimadjacent the planar surface 309 which has an oval profile. In otherimplementations, each of the perimeter rims may have a profile in theshape of at least one of a circle, a triangle, a square, another shape,or a symbol (e.g., logo). Each sector portion 324 also includes aplurality of raised sector ribs or projections 330 which extend upwardfrom the planar surface 309 around the sector well 328 having anuppermost portion which supports the hot food product (e.g., pizza). Insome implementations, the combined area of the ribs 330 in a sectorportion 324 is smaller than the portion of the planar surface 309 in thesector portion. Thus, when the food product is supported on theuppermost portions of the ribs 330 and the raised sector portion rim326, heat loss due to conduction through the planar surface 309 issubstantially reduced compared to food containers with flat bottomsurfaces which have relatively large surface area contact with thebottom surface of the food product. Additionally, the raised ribs 330and sector portion rim 326 tend to isolate the bottom surface of thefood product from the planar surface 309, which prevents the foodproduct from becoming soggy due to trapped liquid on the planar surface309 of the food receiving portion 308.

In the illustrated implementations, the shapes of the ribs 330 areelongated and have a length dimension which extends radially withrespect to the central well 320. Additionally, in the illustratedimplementations the ribs 330 are radially symmetrical. In otherimplementations, the number, sizes and dimensions of the raised ribs 330may be different from shown in the figures. The raised ribs 330 alsofunction to improve the rigidity of the base 302.

In some implementations, each of a plurality of features of the base 302comprising the raised rim 310, the central well 320, the sector wells328, the channels 322, and the raised sector ribs 330 is spaced apartfrom at least one other of the plurality of features by a distance whichis less than or equal to one inch. In some implementations, due to theaforementioned plurality of features, the food receiving portion 308 ofthe base 302 does not have a continuously planar surface which exceeds 2inches by 2 inches. Such features significantly improve the strength ofthe base 302, while allowing the base to have a length dimension greaterthan 12 inches (e.g., 16 inches), a width dimension greater than 12inches (e.g., 16 inches), an overall height which is less than 1.5inches (e.g., 1 inch), and a material thickness between 0.5 mm and 1.0mm (e.g., 0.8 mm). In other implementations, the base 302 may have arelatively larger height and the cover 304 may have a relatively smallerheight.

The outward facing sidewall 314 of the raised rim 310 of the base 302includes four cover interface portions 332 spaced 90° apart from eachother that extend radially outward from the remainder of the outwardfacing sidewall 314. As discussed further below, the cover interfaceportions 332 of the base 302 engage an inwardly and downwardly facingperimeter channel 360 of the cover 304 when the cover is engaged withthe base to provide a friction fit between the cover and the base, whichretains the cover on the base until removed by a user.

In some implementations, at least some of the central well 320 and thesector wells 328 extend downwardly to a lowermost portion of the base302 so that they are weight-bearing and function as “feet” which form aninsulating air space below the food receiving portion 308 of the base302 and a resting surface when the base is supported on the restingsurface. Thus, the raised ribs 330 of each sector portion, together withat least some of the central well 320 and the sector wells 328, form alayer of air insulation between the planar surface 309 of the foodreceiving portion 308 and the food product and a layer of air insulationbetween the food receiving portion and a resting surface using only asingle layer of material (i.e., the material which forms the base 302).Additionally, the aforementioned “feet” raise the remainder of the base302 (and cover 304 when engaged with the base) slightly above a restingsurface (e.g., table), which causes a shadow to be cast, similar to amore formal serving plate.

The cover 304 comprises a single layer of thermally insulating material(e.g., molded fiber) and includes a central dome portion 336 comprisinga substantially downward facing interior surface 338 (FIG. 15B) and asubstantially upward facing exterior surface 340 (FIG. 14B). In at leastsome implementations, the exterior surface 340 is circular in shapewhich facilitates printing (e.g., laser printing, pad printing) thereonwith text and/or graphics (e.g., logo, image, instructions). As shown inFIG. 14B, the dome portion 336 comprises a raised outer rim 342 spacedradially outward from the center of the dome portion which terminates ina downwardly and outwardly extending sidewall 344. The sidewall 344meets with a cover flange 346 which extends laterally outwardlytherefrom. The cover flange 346 has a substantially circular-shapedouter perimeter and includes tab portion 348A that may align with one ofthe four corner portions of the base flange 316 when the cover 304 isengaged with the base. The tab portion 348A may be planar in shape ormay have a distal portion 348B that extends upward that may be graspedby the user to remove the cover 304 from the base 302 during use. Amongother things, the cover flange 346 strengthens the rigidity of the cover304.

The dome portion 336 further comprises a substantially planar ceilingportion 352 disposed radially inward of the raised outer rim 342. Theraised outer rim 342 provides rigidity to the dome portion 336 which, asdiscussed below, provides support to the ceiling portion 352 andfacilitates stacking of multiple containers 300 together. The outer rim342 of the central dome portion 336 also includes eight spaced apartdome recesses 356 each sized and dimensioned to receive at least aportion of a corresponding sector well 328 of a base 302 of another foodcontainer 300 when the other food container is stacked on top of thecover 304 of the food container.

As noted above, the interior surface 338 of the sidewall 344 of thecentral dome portion 336 has the perimeter channel 360 sized anddimensioned to engage the cover interface portions 332 of the raisedperimeter rim 310 of the base 302 when the cover 304 is engaged with thebase. In some implementations, the perimeter channel 360 and the coverinterface portions 332 of the raised rim 310 are sized and dimension toform a friction or interference fit therebetween when the cover 304 isengaged with the base 302.

The various features of the dome portion 336 provide significantstrength which, among other things, allows for stacking multiple foodcontainers 300 together. Specifically, the dome portion 336 includesseveral curved or cornered portions which together improve the rigidityof the cover 304. For example, the dome portion 336 includes theperimeter channel 360 adjacent the base flange 316, the curved sidewall344 radially inward of the perimeter channel, the raised outer rim 342radially inward of the sidewall, and the planar ceiling portion 352radially inward of the raised inner rim.

As shown in FIG. 14B, in some implementations, the raised rim 310 of thebase 302 includes one or more grooves or notches 362 at an intersectionof the top surface 312 and the sidewall 314 of the rim 310. Such grooves362 may function to release the seal between the cover 304 and the base302 when the user begins to lift the cover from the base prior to theperimeter channel 360 disengaging with the cover interface portions 332of the raised rim 310. Such feature advantageously makes the cover 304easier to remove from the base 302 when a user desires to access thefood item in the food container 300.

The base 302 and cover 304 of the food container 300 may be nestablewith other bases and covers, respectively, with a minimum amount ofvertical height (i.e., essentially the thickness of the material foreach component). That is, when a first base 302 is stacked on top of asecond base, the top surfaces of the features of the lower second baseare positioned adjacent the bottom surfaces of corresponding features ofthe upper first base, with minimal air space therebetween. Similarly,when a first cover 304 is stacked on top of a second cover, the topsurfaces of the features of the lower second cover are positionedadjacent the bottom surfaces of corresponding features of the upperfirst cover. Thus, numerous bases may be stacked together at a heightwhich is much less than the combined height of the individual bases.Similarly, numerous covers may be stacked together at a height which ismuch less than the combined height of the individual covers. Suchnesting feature is advantageous for shipping and for storing the foodcontainers 300 in a small space (e.g., restaurant, vehicle, packaging).

In at least some implementations, the cover 304 may include one or morespaced apart denesting lugs 334 disposed on an inward facing surface 350of the dome portion 336 spaced radially inward from the raised outer rim342. The denesting lugs 334 may be spaced apart from each other atuneven intervals around the circumference of inward facing surface 350.The denesting lugs 334 operate to make it easier for a user to separatethe covers from one another when stacked. Thus, for example, amanufacturer of the covers may provide a number of the covers stackedtogether which may be easily separated prior to use. In particular, thedenesting lugs 334 provide spacing between two stacked covers 304, whichallows for ease in grasping only one of the covers by an individual or amachine. The uneven spacing of the denesting lugs 334 may reduce thelikelihood that the denesting lugs of one cover will align with and fitinto the denesting lugs of another cover stacked the cover, which wouldcause the denesting lugs to fail to provide the intended spacing betweenthe two covers.

The various implementations described above can be combined to providefurther implementations. These and other changes can be made to theimplementations in light of the above-detailed description. In general,in the following claims, the terms used should not be construed to limitthe claims to the specific implementations disclosed in thespecification and the claims, but should be construed to include allpossible implementations along with the full scope of equivalents towhich such claims are entitled. Accordingly, the claims are not limitedby the disclosure.

To the extent that they are not inconsistent with the specific teachingsand definitions herein, all of the US patents, US patent applicationpublications, US patent applications, referred to in this specificationand/or listed in the Application Data Sheet, including but not limitedto U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 62/311,787, filed Mar. 22, 2016, areincorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

1. A food container comprising: a base comprising a raised rim disposedabout a perimeter of an upwardly facing food receiving portion whichreceives a food product, the food receiving portion comprising a planarsurface, a central well disposed in the center of the food receivingportion, and a plurality of channels each extending downwardly from theplanar surface and radially at least partially between the central welland the raised rim, each pair of adjacent channels and a correspondingportion of the raised rim delineating a respective sector portion of thefood receiving portion, each sector portion comprises a sector well thatextends downwardly from the planar surface; and a cover selectivelyengageable with the base, the cover comprising a central dome portionhaving a substantially downward facing interior surface and asubstantially upward facing exterior surface, the interior surface ofthe central dome portion having a perimeter channel sized anddimensioned to engage the raised rim of the base when the cover isengaged with the base, and the central dome portion sized and shaped toprovide an interior chamber which protects the food product, theinterior chamber defined at least in part by the interior surface of thecentral dome portion and the food receiving portion of the base, and theexterior surface of the central dome portion comprises a plurality ofdome recesses, each of the plurality of dome recesses sized anddimensioned to receive at least a portion of a sector well of a base ofanother food container identical to the food container when the otherfood container is stacked on top of the cover of the food container, andwherein the exterior surface of the central dome portion furthercomprises a plurality of denesting lugs, each of the plurality ofdenesting lugs sized and dimensioned to provide spacing between at leasta portion of an interior surface of another cover identical to the coverwhen the other cover is stacked on top of the cover.
 2. The foodcontainer of claim 1, wherein the central dome portion comprises araised outer rim and an inward facing surface disposed within the raisedouter rim.
 3. The food container of claim 2, wherein the plurality ofdenesting lugs are disposed on the inward facing surface.
 4. The foodcontainer of claim 3, wherein the plurality of denesting lugs are spacedapart from each other at uneven intervals around a circumference of theinward facing surface.
 5. The food container of claim 3, wherein theplurality of dome recesses project substantially inward from theexterior surface of the central dome portion and the plurality ofdenesting lugs project substantially outward from the exterior surfaceof the central dome portion.
 6. The food container of claim 3, whereinthe plurality of dome recesses are spaced apart from each other at evenintervals around a circumference of the raised outer rim.
 7. The foodcontainer of claim 3, wherein the plurality of denesting lugs comprisean odd number of denesting lugs and wherein the plurality of domerecesses comprise an even number of dome recesses.
 8. The food containerof claim 3, wherein the plurality of denesting lugs comprise a differentnumber of denesting lugs than the plurality of dome recesses.
 9. Thefood container of claim 1, wherein the cover comprises a cover flangeand wherein the base comprises a base flange.
 10. The food container ofclaim 9, wherein the cover flange comprises at least one downwardlyextending fastening protrusion and wherein the base flange comprises atleast one downwardly extending fastening recess configured to engagewith the at least one fastening protrusion when the cover is engagedwith the base.
 11. The food container of claim 9, wherein the baseflange extends around a full perimeter of the food receiving portion andwherein the cover flange extends from a portion of the central domeportion.
 12. The food container of claim 9, wherein the at least onedownwardly extending fastening protrusion is discrete from the at leastone dome recess.
 13. The food container of claim 10, wherein the centraldome portion comprises an uppermost extent of the cover.
 14. The foodcontainer of claim 13, wherein the downwardly extending fasteningprotrusion comprises a lowermost extent of the cover.